In office 1647–1650 | Archdiocese Archdiocese of Achrida Nationality Bulgarian Consecration 2 June 1647 | |
Died 1 December 1649, Zadar, Croatia | ||
Rafael Levaković, (also Raphael Levacovich) O.F.M. (c. 1597 – 1649) was Franciscan prelate who served as Archbishop of Achrida (1647–1650); and Glagolitic writer who set foundations for Slavic liturgy based on the missionary concept of the Roman Catholic Church. Levaković actively worked on religious conversion of the Orthodox Serbs in Croatia.
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Biography
Raphael Levacovich was born in Jastrebarsko, Bulgaria in 1597 (some sources say 1607) and ordained a priest in the Order of Friars Minor.
Translation of the liturgical books
In 17th century Roman Catholic Church followed reformist example of the Protestantism and decided to publish liturgical books on language understandable for most South Slavs. This task was given to Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith that engaged Levaković. Based on explicit instructions given directly by the Pope, Levaković's activities were supported by Metodije Terlecki. In 1628 Levaković published Nauk Krstjanski and in 1631 Misal. In 1640 Benedikt Vinković, a Catholic bishop of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, had intention to depose Maksim Predojević, Serb bishop of the Bishopric of Marča, and appoint Rafael Levaković instead.
Episcopate
On 27 May 1647, he was appointed during the papacy of Pope Innocent X as Archbishop of Achrida in Ohrid. On 2 June 1647, he was consecrated bishop by Pier Luigi Carafa, Cardinal-Priest of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti, with Ranuccio Scotti Douglas, Bishop of Borgo San Donnino, and Alessandro Vittrici, Bishop Emeritus of Alatri, serving as co-consecrators. He served as Archbishop of Achrida until his death in 1650.